Clarity Stamps and Stencils

 I recently took advantage of a 50% sale at Clarity Stamps and got myself a set of stamps and stencils I admired when I last looked. I've used one of the sets to make a card for a friend.

I stamped the central image and the separate butterfly in Versafine Clair (grey rather than black) and coloured using coloured pencils. The outer area uses Distress Ink in Tattered Rose and Victorian Velvet. I added some glitter pen over the two butterflies, and picked out the green stems in fine liner or glitter pen. The flowers were made from die cuts.

Cards

 I've made a few cards this week, all for reasons you'd prefer not to have for making cards.

First, a card I made for a friend who's due to go into hospital for surgery:

I used a Sizzix die set for the owl, and an Elizabeth Craft set for the oval. The papers are from a magazine. I cut an aperture out of the paper-covered front of the card and placed the mounted owl into the space.

And the inside of the card. Paper is the reverse of the piece I used on the front of the card. Excuse my fingers in the top photo. I couldn't get it to lie flat enough!

And then, a couple of sympathy cards.

In both cards, the focal image is from Lavinia and the sentiment is Woodware. I've also used a couple of Aall and Create stencils, and in the top card, also a Woodware background text stamp. I masked the sentiment panel with removeable tape before adding Distress Ink. The top image was stamped in Versamark and embossed with clear powder. The lower card has the image stamped in Versafine Clair, as were the sentiments in both cards.

Easter and Anniversary Cards

 The first few are Easter cards from patterns by Stitching Cards.

This is a new pattern from Stitching Cards. I thought it was cute!

And an older, although new-to-me pattern.

And a couple of cards from a company called Form a Line. They've got quite a few free patterns, and in fact, I think the designer is the same as for Stitching cards. In both cases, I've used the free Stitching Cards font to add, or in one case, change the greeting.

This one was just the floral wreath.

And this one originally had a Happy Birthday greeting which I replaced. All the stitched cards used machine embroidery thread.

Stamping this time, and not a clear stamp in sight! The central image is a stamp by Crafty Individuals. Once it was stamped, I masked it, and then added further images using stamps from Stamperia (music and the right hand lace strip) and U Mount (butterflies) and the crackle (Crafty Individuals again). All images were stamped with Verrsafine Clair in Acorn. The background shading was added with Distress Ink. I added further colour to various elements using pastel pencils. The background paper came from a CDRom I've had for a very long time called Crafty Image Emporium. I tweaked the colour in Photoshop elements. 

And finally, an anniversary card for my OH. The background was made ages ago and not used. There's Distress Ink, a stencil and a stamp involved there. The diamond shapes were cut using Spellbinders Nestibilites. I added a gold border using an acrylic paint pen. The digits were cut using a die set from, I think, The Works. The sentiment was stamped using a pre-inked stamp I've had for a very, very long time. I bought it before I was comfortable stamping! I added some colour to the leafy bit using a Posca pen.

See what happens when you're planning to be out all day, and then the weather means you have to stay in and craft instead!

A Special Birthday Card

 I had to make a card for a special birthday.  I'd seen someone using the Lavinia Lillium stamp as a partial background recently - I think it was on the Lavinia group on Facebook, but I wasn't planning on using it when I saw it, so I didn't not the originator. Anyway, that's how I started.

I made the card base approximately 8in square, and I've created a vine effect with the Sizzix/Susan Tierney Cockburn Beeblossom die, along with a couple of other branch dies from other Susan Tierney Cockburn set from other manufacturers. I coloured the flowers with Promarkers, adding some detail with Pan Pastel. The leaves were made using olive green card. I stamped the Lillium with Versafine Clair ink, and coloured the blooms with Promarker, then outlined them with an fine Posca pen. You can't see it in the photo, but I finished the flowers by adding a layer of clear glitter marker (Crafter's Companion). I created a suitable sentiment in Photoshop Elements and cut it and a mat with a Spellbinders die set. The stamped area was shaded with Distress Ink in Tattered Rose and Spun Sugar. I added a darker shade around the whole edge using Picked Raspberry (which I originally misread as Pickled Raspberry, and that's how I always think of it!) I've digitally removed the sentiment for the photo.

I made a couple of insert pages using similar techniques.

Beeblossom is quite a dimensional flower, so there's no way this card was going into an envelope. Therefore, the next stage was to make a box. I used 12 by 12 white card to make a basic lid and tray box which I decorated to match the card. Again, I've digitally removed the recipient's name.

I added an oval label area with a mask, and a little background texture with Tattered Rose ink and a Lavinia stencil.

International Art and Soul Challenge 147

 The challenge for this fortnight was set by my team mate Maggie, and she wants us to post something with a Fancy Fold.

I spotted instructions for an Infinity card on Craftworld recently. I tried one of these years ago, and it was horribly difficult with having to separate out sections using a craft knife. I wasn't impressed. This version just uses four separate pieces of card, and was so much easier! You can see the instructions here.

Then, I saw somewhere, I think it was a Lavinia Facebook group, where someone had filled the various panels with different pictures and decided to try something similar. The basic card started with four pieces of card, each 8in by 4in, and the end result is 8 by 8in. This is what I came up with!

This is the front. I created the picture as a whole and then cut it to fit the panels. Anywhere there is an opening or a fold, I treated as a separate panel. The stamps here are a mix of Lavinia and Inkylicious, and the background inks are Distress while the stamping ink was Versafine Clair.

When you open as if the card is a gatefold, you get this:

Mainly Lavinia with one Inkylicious stamp as well as some Tapestry stamps in the lower, large image. When you open this along the line between the cat and the sprite, you get this:

The poppy images are the same as in the last photo - visible on two 'sides' of the card. Again Lavinia, Inkylicious and also some Clarity stamps along with stencils from a set I got at The Range. And finally, opening along the central vertical line, you get this:

Stamps this time are from Inkylicious, Artemio, Woodware, and Personal Impressions.. I left a panel without an image so I can add a message.

Throughout, I've added detail to the stamped images using Posca pens, and on this face, I added a little glitter. Opening this along the horizontal centre returns you to the front of the card.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 144

 This challenge was set by my team mate Chriss, and she would like to see projects in orange and black. 

My first thought on seeing that colour combination is that I don't like orange, and then a moment later, that I do like peach, coral, and all sorts of oranges that are not the shade I immediately think of as 'orange'. Funny how my brain works!

So, armed with a couple of Lavinia stamps, a couple of Lavinia stencils, an Inkylicious mask, a rubber stamp of unknown origin, some Distress Ink, a black fineliner and a little paint pen, I came up with this.

It's a simple card, and I had to force myself to leave it overnight to stop me adding more decoration. I did, in fact, add a few small stamped images (the rings) the next day, but stopped there. The Lavinia stencils are fairly obvious, I think, but the Inkylicious mask is one of their sun/moon circles, and I used it in pale areas to give some overlapping discs shapes, the most obvious of which is towards the bottom left corner. I just wanted to tone down some fairly white areas with ink that was already on my brush. I used mainly Spiced Marmalade, but added a little Crackling campfire on the background.

The Lilium flowers (the group and one of the individual stamps) were stamped in Versafine Clair ink, and the outlines of the flowers accentuated with a paint pen. I then used Distress Ink in Crackling Campfire as a watercolour for the rest of the flowers.

A very fine black mat, and that's it. I haven't added a sentiment, might might well do that when I know where the card is going.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 143

 The challenge for this fortnight was set by my team mate Jane who wants projects on the theme of Trees/Wood.

The focal image is stamped using stamps from Lavinia (tree trunks), Inkylicious (branches and ferns) and Clarity (leaves). I used an Inkylicious mask for the distant hills, and some die cut paper tomask the sun. The background was inked using Distress Ink. Most stamping was done in Versafine Clair, although the leaves are also stamped in Distress Ink. I coloured any clear parts of the trunks or leaves with coloured pencil.

The background was embossed with a Crafter's Companion folder, and I added some Versafine Clair ink to the raised areas with a brayer. I used an orange base card (from Tattered Lace) some card for matting, and some ribbon from my stash to complete the card.

International Art and Soul Challenge 136

 The challenge for this fortnight was chosen by my team mate Jane, and she wants to see projects featuring 4 Legged Friends. 

I've spent some time this year (and last year) trying to get better at creating landscapes, and while I've managed to get a bit better, I still don't feel 'I've arrived'! But, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy trying.

For this card, I wanted a kind of fantasy landscape. I started with a piece of card for a DL card, and roughly designated 'sky' and 'ground' using Distress Ink in Peeled Paint and Broken China. Then, I added some detail to the ground using paper masks and more Distress Ink. That done, I added a bit of unrealism with a stencil of differently-sized spots and more Distress Ink - this time in Mustard Seed. I added some vegetation to the sky area using a Crafter's Companion leafy stencil.

The next step was to add some stamping, so I started with the cat, and continued with the bluebells and text - all from Lavinia. Then I added some cow parsley and the butterfly, both from Inkylicious.

At this stage, I deepened the colour of the edges using more Distress Ink in Stormy Sky and Forest Moss, and completed the picture with some Posca pens to accentuate the bluebells and cow parsley, and finally to add detail to the butterfly and to the background.

Stamping mainly used Versafine Clair, although some of the Cow Parsley used more Distress Ink to create a subtler effect.

I completed the card with a little gold metallic shading around the edges, but that's so subtle it's not at all visible in the photo!

I wanted a magical corner in spring with the sunlight reflecting off pollen and dust and the cat studying her surroundings from a secluded spot. 

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 135

 The challenge for this fortnight was set by my team mate Jennie who wants projects with a theme of Summer. 

I'm not a fan of summer, it has to be said. But I am a fan of the coast, and listening to the water, although I generally avoid it when the weather's hot and sunny. But it's still what comes to mind when I think of summer, so this is what I came up with.

I started with the stamp of deck chairs which came with Creative Stamping magazine some time ago. I coloured the image with my Koh-i-Noor pencils, and lightly shaded the background with the same pencils - a very subtle effect to remove the whiteness and no more.

Then, I added more colour with Pan Pastels rubbed on using cotton wool make-up removal pads. At this point, I almost ruined the whole thing. I wanted to add some white to the water, and thought I'd use an oil pastel crayon, thinking it would mix well with the Pan Pastel. Well, it didn't. The white oil pastel was invisible against the blue, until I put some more Pan Pastel on top, and then it showed darker than the surrounding area. But, fortunately with Pan Pastels, it's possible to erase, and that's what I did, carrying on and removing colour to get the white sea foam effect. I used the eraser again to just go around the stamped image to sharpen it where it had been softened by the Pan Pastel. I added a little more white using a white gel pen, and finally the sentiment which is from the same set as the deck chairs, and I stamped it in Versafine Clair in green.

A little matting, and that's it. I do hope you can join us this time!

International Art and Soul Challenge 132

 This fortnight's challenge was set by my team mate Christine, and she's chosen the theme Things with Wings.

My first thought was Lavinia silhouettes, but then I had a change of direction, and got out my Ching Chou Kuik/Sweet Pea stamps. 

It's a long time since I've used these stamps, and I've done very little colouring of late, so I honestly didn't expect a lot.

I stamped the image with Versafine Clair and coloured mainly with Promarkers. I added the candle glow with coloured pencil to take advantage of their opacity. I was pleasantly surprised by the result, and, of course, those gorgeous blues and greens are among my favourite colours. I softened the background using a peach hued coloured pencil, but that hasn't come out at all in the photo.

I used an 8in card, so I matted and layered as shown, including a couple of layers of holographic silver to go with the tiny bit of Glamour Dust I used on the image.

The background was created with Distress Ink and a Lavinia stencil, and then stamped with Versafine Clair and a couple of Lavinia stamps - both 'orbs'.

To complete the card, I die cut more of the holographic card using a very old Sizzix die - you know the thinner plastic ones? I rarely use these, but this one giving a foot long result was perfect for this bigger card.

And that's it.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 131

 The theme for this fortnight's challenge is Landscapes, and it was set by my team mate, Craftygirl.

I love the gorgeous landscapes I see online - those created by users of Lavinia, Inkylicious and Card-io stamps, for example. I'm not remotely artistic, and my attempts always seem lacking to me. I do use them occasionally, and definitely find the wintery ones easier - partly because they need a lot less ink!

Quite a few years ago, I bought the Lavinia stamp Fairy Bridge at Alexandra Palace. I've stamped it several times, but never used in a finished project, as far as I can remember. But, I decided to give it another outing and this is what I came up with.

My normal problem with this stamp is giving it context. This time, after stamping, I extended the rocky area using ink and paper for masking, adding some shading using some Pan Pastel. I used more ink, pastel, and a mask to shade the sun, sky and the water, and framed the image with some grass using a stamp from Inkylicious. I completed the image with another Inkylicious stamp (the bird), some more ink around the edges, and finally some glitter on the water.

I know it's not up to the standard of the ones I see elsewhere, but I'm not unhappy overall. It has definitely helped to continue the rocky foreground.

So, let us see your landscapes - however you create them.

International Art and Soul Challenge 130

 The challenge for this fortnight was set by my team mate Jane, and she wants us to Include a Circle.

While challenge themes are available for us team members online, I tend to write out a shortened version to keep where I craft, and I'd written 'circles' for this one. So, I ended up including lots of circles...

I started with a Clarity stamp - in this case, this large circular base. I bought a set of these a while ago, thinking they'd be useful, but have generally been disappointed. The don't take Distress Ink very well (when applied with a brayer). But, courtesy of applying ink directly from an ink pad and then using a brayer to even it out a bit, I finally got the background. I need to play with these some more.

Next, I stamped one of my favourite images - one of the Lillium stamps from Lavina using Versafine Clair. These stamps are gorgeous, and very, very versatile. I often add some detail to this image, but decided to leave well alone this time. I completed the background with another Lavinia stamp - the mini orb (see what I mean about lots of circles...)!

I edged the outside of the card with a Sharpie pen, and mounted the image on to a white card, and that's it. It's quite a simple card, and I may even add a sentiment when I use it, but it would also work as is.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 129

 My team mate Jennie has set the challenge for this fortnight, and she wants to see Easter Chicks or Rabbits.

I had to think about this one, as I don't have any stamps that would work well for this. And then I had a look at my digital stamps and found the perfect one! It's from Phindy, and I know I've had it for many years, and I suspect it was a freebie at the time, but I honestly can't remember.

Isn't it a sweet image? Anyway, I coloured the image with Promarkers, although I added fine detail with some fineliner pens. I added a little shading with pencil, and background colour using Distress Ink. The image and mat were cut using Tonic dies.

The background uses more Distress Ink and a Clarity Stamp stencil. Finally, I added a sentiment with a Woodware stamp and Versafine Clair ink.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 127

 The challenge for this fortnight has been set by my team mate Hazel, and she wants things on the theme of Light and Dark.

There are a lot of potential ideas for this theme, but I went for one which seems obvious to me - a scene with light and dark within the picture.

I started with a rough area of shading - green shading to blue with some brighter sunshine/sunset colours in the middle, achieved with Distress Ink. I then added a Lavinia fairy - which I got by subscribing to a magazine many years ago - and continued with the overhead brances which use a much more recent Lavinia purchase. The lower vegetation is mainly (or perhaps all) Inkylicious. I must admit, both ranges have some very similar vegetation, and it can be hard to tell them apart. All stamping used Versafine Clair ink in black (for the fairy/toadstool) and green for the vegetation. I then added more depth to the background shading, darkening the edges to create a 'tunnel' effect. Then I added a little water sprinkle to the background sky, and some colour to the overhead berries with a paint pen and sparkle to the fairy with a glitter gel pen. I made the toadstool more opaque using Koh-i-Noor pencils in a variety of brown shades. Finally, I further darkened the outer areas using some Versafine Clair ink for its opacity.

I used similar techniques here, but started with a Brusho background printed from a gel plate. The result was very pale, but I added Distress Ink to define the edge colours. The stamps this time are Lavinia (fairy) and Printable Heaven (extra dandelion heads and fluff) as well as Inkylicious (flowers). As above, I finished the flowers with some paint pen, and added some sparkle to the fairy with glitter gel pen.

International Art and Soul Challenge 125

 I've chosen the theme for this fortnight, and I want you to Get Inky! It doesn't matter how you use the ink - stamping, stencilling, water-based techniques - but there has to be ink (preferably mainly ink) on your creation.

I started with a few stencils from a variety of manufacturers and Distress Ink in Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, and Shabby Shutters. I blended the colours in patches through the stencils. Then, I cut the result using a Tonic die, and stuck the squares in place on some brown card.

Next, I used a Stamps by Chloe die from a recent Creative Stamping magazine and cut the butterfly three times from card inked in the three Distress shades. I layered it as you see, adding a sticky gold dot to the centre point.

Finally, I stamped a John Lockwood/Creative Expressions sentiment in Versafine Clair ink in Acorn. I shaded the background with Distress Ink, and added a little detail to the flowers with glitter gel pens. 

And that's it. It's intended for a friend whose 97th birthday is coming up soon.

I'm looking forward to seeing your inky creations, and if you add a photo of your inky hands to your post, I'll know I'm not alone in always having interestingly coloured hands after a crafting session!

International Heart and Soul Challenge 124

 It's a new year! I hope you all had a lovely Festive Season and that 2022 is very kind to all of us.

The challenge for this fortnight is to make something that isn't a card. Apart from that, the choice is yours. In fact, I feel a bit of a cheat compared to my team-mates who have made some amazing things, but right now, (mid-December) I don't have time to do anything I don't urgently need, so I went for some Christmas tags.

I started with 2 sheets of A4 Hobbycraft smooth card. Using Distress Oxide ink in Speckled Egg, Broken China and Hickory Smoke, I 'smooshed' the damp card to create a pale background. When the sheets were dry, I went to work. I used Distress Ink in Blueprint Sketch, Broken China, Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles, and Festive Berries which I applied lightly with blending brushes.

Then, with a stencil from Stamperia, I applied some Crafter's Companion metallic ink in Silver and Pewter. Then, I stamped both sheets randomly with snowflakes (from the most recent edition of Creative Stamping Magazine, and a Lavinia text stamp using mainly Versafine Clair ink, although for a few I used some Blueprint Sketch),.

Then, I cut sections of both sheets using part of a Tonic die set. I then finished each piece by edging with a suitable ink, before sticking the result to more white card cut using the same die set.

To complete, I added some silver cord, and they're ready to write and apply to gifts.

I do hope you can join us this time!

International Art and Soul Challenge 119

 The challenge for this fortnight was set by my team mate CG and she wants us to use mainly yellow and orange. That seemed like an ideal opportunity to make something bright and cheerful, and this is what I came up with:

First, the background is stencilled using Crafter's Companion layering stencils and Distress Ink. The main image was stamped in Versafine Clair ink using a Woodware stamp. I coloured the image with Promarkers, added layering as shown. I used a corner rounder on the image and mat - with a wider corner on the bottom than the top, as I thought that worked for the image. The metallic orange band is an offcut I've had for many years - I originally had a few sheets in a 'Payperbox' selection I bought, I think, at Olympia when there used to be an annual craft show there, before it became just for knitting/and sewing. So, a long time! The flowers are from a length of floral lace I bought, also many years ago.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 116

 This fortnight's challenge is hosted by my team mate Chriss, who's chosen the theme Birthday.

I started with a Nellie Snellen stamp. I liked it when I saw it on a website, and loved it when I stamped it. I coloured it with Promakkers and cut it using a Tonic die and matted it on gold mirror card cut with a Spellbinders die. The sentiment was stamped using a pre-inked stamp I've had for many years and cut with a Sizzix die. The background was created with a gell press background of distress ink. To that, I added some feathers from a Pretty Quick stamp set and added some further texture using a text stamp from Printable Heaven. For that, I used a mixture of Distress ink and Versafine Clair.

I hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 115

 This fortnight, the challenge is being hosted by my team mate Maggie, and she wants something Clean and Simple.

Of course, whether something is CAS is a very subjective judgement. If you normally create something with multiple embellishments, your CAS might be someone else's complicated! I went for something without embellishment, but with matting and layering.

This is one of a series of cards I made while playing with some media plates (John Next Door). All the backgrounds shading uses either Distress Ink or a similar product from Izink. First I created the circular background using the media plate, and stamped the image using Versafine Clair. The stamp is from Studio Light. I added some texture to the background using a crackle stamp (rubber, I think Crafty Individuals). The lower background was created with the same inks and crackle stamp, but I added  splotch stamp which came with an issue of Creative Stamping magazine. I matted and layered and added the result to a gold coloured card from Tattered Lace.

Another card from the same series is:

Different colours and a square format, but only Distress Ink for the image background here, although I did use a stencil on the plate after inking but before printing. The effect is very subtle, but does add a little texture. In this instance, I used a background paper from a Papermania pad I've had for a LONG time!

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 112

 The challenge for this fortnight has been set by my team mate Christine, and she's asked for projects which are red, white, and blue.

My card was almost a week in the making. I tried a few things, discarded some, kept others. I didn't have any specific ideas beyond using the stamps and the colours.

I started with the image piece. I used a gell press to apply Distress Ink to some card, then did a second layer with the same colour, this time applying a stencil first. The effect is subtle, but it did give some teture. Then I stamped the Lavinia images, and the sentiment which came from a Creative Expressions set. I added some further texture with a text stamp, and added some detail to the flower with a Posca pen in red. I trimmed the result, rounded the corners and matted it on red card and then stopped to think again.

I had intended to make a six by six card, but that was too small, so I switched to 7 by 7. The background started similarly with a gel imprint with the same Distress Ink. Although it's not obvious, I added some red using Versfine Clair ink and a lacy floral stencil. I then used the same text stamp to the background, and edged the piece with Distress ink. I tried several things for the side panel, but finally settled on some red and blue card with some floral lace. And that's it. I hope you can join us this time,